The smoke about Mike Babcock becoming the next Edmonton Oilers head coach is “real,” according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Conversations have occurred between Babcock and members of the Oilers leadership group of players, who are on board with the idea of hiring the long-time head coach, Friedman reported. A conversation has also reportedly occured with Oilers owner Daryl Katz, he added.

“It’s real. They are considering it,” said Friedman. “Not sure if it’s happened yet … but, according to several sources, Babcock has spoken directly with owner Daryl Katz.

“According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoke to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to get the players on-board with the idea.

It fits with what he’s been whispered about the Oilers since their first-round elimination to Anaheim: that even their core agrees they need a firmer hand on the rudder.”

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported earlier Monday that the Oilers are consulting with the NHL Players’ Association to see “if there are objections that must be resolved before potentially hiring Mike Babcock.” Babcock, 63, was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2023, but was fired before ever coaching a game after looking through photos on players’ phones.

Another report surfaced Monday from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, stating that former Los Angeles Kings head coach D.J. Smith — who was an assistant under Babcock with the Toronto Maple Leafs — as somebody who could potentially join Babcock’s bench in Edmonton.

Babcock was first linked to the Oilers in late May by Oilers NOW host Bob Stauffer, which was met with disdain from the Edmonton market due to a tainted past with former players alleging tyrannical control under his guise.

Time will tell what will come of Babcock and the Oilers, but this doesn’t appear to be a nothing story, Friedman said.

“The hire has also not been formalized with the NHL, which would also have to sign off. And, at this point, that has not occurred,” he said. “So we are in a bit of a holding pattern. The interest is real, but hurdles remain.”

Babcock has coached the 12th-most games in NHL history and has the 12th-most wins, behind the bench for 1,301 games and 700 wins with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the Detroit Red Wings, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s the only coach who is a member of the Triple Gold club, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Red Wings, Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014, as well as a World Championship gold medal in 2004. He also won gold with Team Canada’s World Junior team in 1997.

While the Red Wings returned to the Stanley Cup final in 2009, a year after they won, Babcock never returned a team that deep in the playoffs, failing to make it out of the second round since that year.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.